


Tradition

by helsinkibaby



Series: Love Story [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-05 06:25:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16805221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: As Nick introduces his wife to his colleagues, they learn about a particular Christmas tradition.





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> For day one of the Christmas prompt list circulated on tumblr, “ugly Christmas sweaters”
> 
> Set in the same universe as “we were both young when I first saw you”

“Look who I found in the lobby.” 

Nick had a feeling just from the tone of Tony’s voice that he knew who he was going to see when he turned around and he wasn’t disappointed. “One NSA Analyst Eleanor Bishop Torres,” Tony finished proclaiming with a flourish and Nick couldn’t help himself, he winced. 

Beside Tony, Ellie paused her sweep of the room to fix him with a gaze of pure flint. “Just Bishop is fine.” 

Tony blinked and Nick stepped in to rescue his team mate. He’d been on the receiving end of this particular rant on more than one occasion over the last number of years. “Yes, Tony. Because a woman changing her name is a holdover from a repressive patriarchal system where a woman was considered the property first of her father then her husband, and has no place in the twenty first century.” By the time he finished, Tony was staring at him agog, and Ellie’s lips were twitching. “Did I get it right?” he asked her and the twitch became an outright grin. 

“You did,” she said, stepping into him as he held out his arm. She pressed against his side as his arm fell into its accustomed place around her shoulders and, workplace or not, he gave into temptation and kissed the top of her head. “So... This is NCIS headquarters.” 

“In all its glory.” Nick tilted his head. “I thought you were going to call me when you were on your way.” She’d dropped him to work that morning, figuring there was no point leaving two cars at the airport while they flew back to Oklahoma over Christmas break. 

“I did.” Once again, Ellie’s grin twitched, her eyes dancing. “You never answered.” 

Nick frowned as Tony snickered behind him. “Busted,” Tony not so softly muttered and Nick did his best to glare at him without being caught by Ellie. It didn’t work so well. 

“My phone’s in my desk.” 

“Your desk which you never sit at?” McGee decided to get in on the act, standing up and coming over to them. His quip had Ellie actually giggling - traitor - as she reached out to shake McGee’s outstretched hand. “Tim McGee. It’s nice to finally meet you.” 

“You too.” 

“And even nicer not to meet you when chasing down Middle Eastern terrorists,” Tony added and Nick couldn’t fault him there. “I’m surprised Nick hasn’t organised something way before now.” 

“Yeah.” Nick’s voice was as dry as he could make it. “I wonder why that is.” 

Tony turned a comically affronted gaze towards him, hand slapped to his chest and everything, but anything he might have said was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps clunking towards them. 

“Is she here, is she here?” Abby entered like a whirlwind, pigtails bobbing wildly as she stopped dead when she saw Ellie, Nick’s arm still around her shoulders. Abby let out a squeal and clapped her hands together. “I’m so glad I didn’t miss you!” she said, crossing the room faster than should have been possible given the height and weight of her heels, pulling a very surprised Ellie into a hug. “I’m Abby, it’s so great to meet you.” 

Ellie was actually breathless when she pulled away and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You too,” she said. Then, as if it had taken a second for the name to click with her, “You’re the one who made Nick the sweater.” 

“Yes! The ‘Welcome to NCIS,’ sweater.” Abby’s smile dimmed slightly and she shrugged. “I didn’t realise Nick didn’t do ‘froo-froo sweaters’. Next time I’ll stick to friendship bracelets.” 

Ellie’s head swung around to Nick, her eyes slightly narrowed. Nick could feel danger approaching, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. “Is that what you’re going to tell my mom when she gives you your Christmas sweater?” 

Ah. There it was. 

Abby, Tony and Tim were very interested all of a sudden. “Christmas sweater?” Tony asked and Nick took a deep breath, accepting his fate. 

“Ellie has three older brothers,” he explained. “And for as long as they can remember, her mom has dressed them in identical ugly Christmas sweaters on Christmas Eve. There are literally over thirty years of sweater photos in her house.” 

“She used to knit them starting in August,” Ellie continued. “Then she found out about the internet and she upped her game. Considerably.” 

Nick couldn’t help his shudder. “And once I came on the scene, I was roped into the tradition. Against my will, I might add.” He’d thought Ellie was making it up until a box with his name had been produced on Christmas Eve that year, but he’d gone along with it because he was young and dumb and he could see how much it meant to both Ellie and her mom. Of course, that had meant that it was impossible to refuse every subsequent Christmas. 

Ellie’s grin suddenly reached megawatt status and, oh, Nick did not like the look of that at all. “Did you see what Mom sent to the family group chat?” 

Nick had not. “I muted that, like, three hundred messages ago,” he told her and she looked surprised. “You know, you and your mom can message each other privately, you don’t have to tell the whole family about every little detail.” 

Ellie frowned. “Then how would you know the plan?” 

“Oh, I’m sure you two would let us know.” Ellie’s jaw dropped open in mock shock. At least Nick hoped it was mock. “All right, what did she send?” 

There was a funny glint in Ellie’s eyes as she reached into her pocket. “Our first Christmas together,” she said, finger moving across the screen. Once it stopped, she held out the phone not to Nick, but to Abby. “Look.” 

Abby’s jaw dropped, her hands flying up to cover her lips. “Oh my god, you two are such babies!” Tim and Tony crowded round behind her, leaning in for a better look and both were sporting identical grins when they looked back up at Nick. 

“All right, all right, let me see.” Nick was actually pretty sure he remembered the picture and when Ellie turned the phone around, he was right. There they were, that first Christmas Eve, him sitting on the edge of the couch with a very unimpressed look on his face, Ellie standing beside him with her arm around his shoulders, her hair flat ironed to within an inch of its life, a couple of strands at the front twisted and clipped back in the style that was all the rage back then. They were wearing the same green sweater, Christmas lights knitted into the pattern, actual lights flashing in some spots. Of the two of them, Ellie looked like she hadn’t aged a day; Nick on the other hand was a fair few pounds lighter, both in frame and muscle and he chuckled at how skinny he was. “Oh man...” 

“Wow, you two really have been together a long time.” Tony’s voice drew him back to the present. “When was that?” 

“Freshman year of college,” Nick told him and the other man let out a low whistle. “We got together at the end of our senior year in high school. Prom night actually.” He shot Ellie a smile, glad to see it returned, even with some of the memories that that night entailed. “She took one look at me all dressed up and that was it.”

Ellie didn’t even bother trying to hide her eyeroll. “Yeah, that’s what did it.” 

“Nice hair, Torres.” Gibbs breezed by, making Nick jump because he hadn’t heard the other man approaching. He didn’t say anything about the obvious sarcasm in the comment because he couldn’t - frosted tips were not a look that had stood up well to the passage of time. “Ellie.” 

“Hey, Gibbs.” Ellie locked her phone, slid it into her pocket. Nick had never loved her more. “I know I’m a little early... is it ok if I take this one early, try to beat some of the airport traffic?” 

“Fine by me,” Gibbs said and Nick didn’t have to be told twice. He was at his desk in seconds, pulling out his phone and everything else he needed. “Unless you’ve got any more photos of Nick to share.” 

Ellie’s hand was reaching for her phone, her eyes bright, but this time, Nick headed the danger off at the pass, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together. “We’ll see you in the New Year,” he said firmly, all but dragging her towards the elevator. Once inside, Ellie’s giggle was music to his ears as he pressed her back against the wall. 

“You are an evil woman,” he decided and her smile managed to be innocent and devilish all at once. 

“It’s why you love me,” she said, looping her arms around his neck. 

Nick made a noise deep in the back of his throat, indicating that he was thinking about that. “So,” he asked, “should I be afraid of what Barbara Bishop has in store for us this Christmas?” 

“That depends.” Ellie pressed her lips together but he could see the laughter she was fighting to keep back. “How do you feel about matching elf hats?” 

Nick closed his eyes, fighting back a groan as he let his forehead fall against hers. “It’s going to be a long holiday,” he muttered and this time, Ellie did laugh. 

“You love it,” she accused and he shrugged as he opened his eyes. 

“I love you,” he told her and, since he didn’t need mistletoe to kiss his wife, that’s just what he did.


End file.
